Stringer structure for slide fasteners

ABSTRACT

A tape of non-woven textile material is folded about its central longitudinal axis, and an elongate, flexible core typically in the form of a cord of woven threads or the like is enveloped inside the folded edge of the non-woven textile tape. The core is retained in position solely by the jaws or securing arms of respective fastener elements clamped onto the core-enclosing folded edge of the tape. The core may be either completely accommodated in the apertures defined between the securing arms of each fastener element, or it may include a portion projecting from between the securing arms.

United States Patent Hase awa Ma 27 1975 [54] STRINGER STRUCTURE FOR SLIDE 2,267,370 12/1941 Brozek 24/205.16 R FASTENERS 2,275,454 3/1942 Miller I'M/205.13 R 2,287,323 6/1942 Poux 24/205.l6 R [75] Inventor: Aklra Hasegawa, Kurobe, ap n 3,324,523 6/ I967 Mulka 24/205.l R [73] Assignee: Yoshida Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Tokyo, Japan 266,712 3/1963 Australia 24/205.l6 R Mar. 25, Canada R pp 454,324 Primary ExaminerBema1'd A. Gelak Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Bucknam and Archer [30] Foreign Application Priority Data ABSTRACT Apr. 4, 1973 Japan 48-40634 Apr 4 1973 Japan n 4840635 A tape of non-woven textile matenal is folded about its central longitudinal axis, and an elongate, flexible 52 us. (:1 we typically in a threads E Int Cl 3212 3 or the like is enveloped inside the folded edge of the [58] Field 205 16 C non-woven textile tape. The core is retained in position solely by the jaws or securing arms of respective fastener elements clamped onto the core-enclosing 56 1 gqizz cued folded edge of the tape. The core may be either com- ES PATENTS pletely accommodated in the apertures defined bel-,731,638 10/1929 Schachat 24/205.l3 R tween th e uring arms of each fastener element, or 22 1 2 5 it may include a portion projecting from between the 1n 2,060,830 11/1936 Silberman 24/205.16 R Secum'g arms 2,202,230 5/1940 Poux 24/205.13 R 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures M No PATENTEB I975 SHEET 2 OF 2 FIG.4

STRINGER STRUCTURE FOR SLIDE FASTENERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to slide fasteners, and more specifically to improvements in the construction of a stringer for use with slide fasteners.

There have been known stringer constructions in which an elongate, flexible core, or a bead reinforcement as it is sometimes called, is enclosed within the folded edge of a tape of non-woven textile material. However, in order to retain the core in position, the superimposed layers of the folded tape in accordance with the prior art have usually been joined together by a longitudinal line of stitching or sewing along the core, as disclosed for example in British Pat. No. 944,752.

Such conventional practice is undesirable in that it involves undue time and labor for the assemblage of slide fastener stringers. The longitudinal line of stitching formed in the folded tape is further objectionable not only from the point of view of aesthetics but in consideration of the resulting weakness of the tape at the stitched part.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved stringer for use With slide fasteners which is easy to assemble, inexpensive in construction, and aesthetically appealing to the eye.

Another object of the invention is to provide a slide fastener stringer in which the fastener elements can be held in positive clamping engagement with the tape, and in which the tape itself is of highly endurable construction.

With these objects in view and the other objects herein-after set forth, this invention provides a slide fastener stringer in which is used a tape of nonwoven textile material folded about its central longitudinal axis. An elongate, flexible core is enclosed within the folded edge of the non-woven textile tape and is retained in position solely by the securing arms of respective fastener elements secured onto the folded edge of the tape. No stitching of the folded tape is thus required for securely holding the core in position.

The features which are believed to be novel and characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularly in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as its further objects and advantages, will become more apparent and understandable as the description proceeds, with reference made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example only, some preferred embodiments of the invention and in which like reference characters denote like parts of the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view explanatory of a mode of assemblage of a slide fastener stringer according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the completed slide fastener stringer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of another preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention will now be described more specifically in terms of a first preferred embodiment thereof illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. As best illustrated in FIG. 1, the slide fastener stringer according to the invention includes a carrier tape 10 of non-woven textile material which is folded about its central longitudinal axis so as to envelop an elongate, flexible core 11 of substantially circular cross section within its folded edge. Typically, the core 11 may be a cord fabricated of yarns or threads twisted or woven together, or it may be formed of other similarly endurable material.

The jaws or securing arms 12 of conventional fastener elements 13 are then successively clinched over the folded edge 14 of the carrier tape 10, in such a manner that the core 11 will be completely accommodated in the apertures defined between the securing arms 12 of the respective fastener elements 13. The securing arms 12 of these fastener elements are then compressed, that is, pressed. toward each other into clamping engagement with the core-enclosing folded edge of the carrier tape 10. The thus-completed stringer is illustrated in FIG. 2.

In order to facilitate the foregoing process of assemblage, each of the fastener elements 13 may initially be provided with the securing arms 12 appropriately spaced apart from each other. These arms can be com pressed together after being fitted over the folded edge of the carrier tape 10. It will be appreciated that the elongate, flexible core 11 serves the dual purpose of reinforcing the carrier tape 10 and retaining the fastener elements 13 in position thereon.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate another preferred embodiment of the invention, in which is used an elongate, flexible core 11a of substantially circular cross section having an integral longitudinal ridge 15 extending throughout its length as in the drawings. Alternatively, there may be used a core of generally flat cross section. Further alternatively, there may be used a crosssectionally round core having a thickness sufficient to form the ridge 15 when the arms 12, 12 are compressed. As in the preceding embodiment, the core 11a may first be partially enveloped by the carrier tape 10 of non-woven textile material folded about its central longitudinal axis.

The securing arms 12 of the respective fastener elements 13 are clinched over the folded edge 14- of the carrier tape 10 and are then compressed together, with the result that the integral longitudinal ridge 15, or its equivalent part, of the core 11a is caught securely between the arms of the respective fastener elements, while the major portion of the core is accommodated in the apertures of the fastener elements, as will be seen from FIG. 4 in particular.

Other details of construction or assemblage are substantially as above stated with relation to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. It will be apparent that the mod ified core of this second embodiment of the invention is also well calculated to accomplish the aforementioned dual objective of reinforcing the carrier tape 10 and holding the fastener elements 13 solidly anchored thereto.

While the slide fastener stringer according to this invention has been shown and described hereinbefore in terms of some specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the invention itself is not to be restricted by the exact showing of the drawings or the description thereof but is considered to include other examples coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A stringer for a slide fastener comprising a tape of non-woven textile material folded about its central longitudinal axis, an elongated, flexible core enclosed within the folded edge portion of said tape, and a row of fastener elements anchored to the folded edge portion of said tape said fastener elements each having a pair of securing arms compressively embracing said edge portion of the tape, said core being retained within said edge portion exclusively by forces exerted thereon by the securing arms of the fastener elements, said core having an integral longitudinal ridge narrower than said core and extending throughout its length and at least to the ends of said securing arms.

2. The slide fastener stringer as recited in claim 1, wherein said core is in the form of a cord.

3. The slide fastener stringer as recited in claim 1, wherein said core is completely accommodated in the apertures between the securing arms of the respective fastener elements.

4. The slide fastener stringer as recited in claim 1, wherein said ridge includes a portion projecting from between the securing arms of the respective fastener elements. 

1. A stringer for a slide fastener comprising a tape of nonwoven textile material folded about its central longitudinal axis, an elongated, flexible core enclosed within the folded edge portion of said tape, and a row of fastener elements anchored to the folded edge portion of said tape said fastener elements each having a pair of securing arms compressively embracing said edge portion of the tape, said core being retained within said edge portion exclusively by forces exerted thereon by the securing arms of the fastener elements, said core having an integral longitudinal ridge narrower than said core and extending throughout its length and at least to the ends of said securing arms.
 2. The slide fastener stringer as recited in claim 1, wherein said core is in the form of a cord.
 3. The slide fastener stringer as recited in claim 1, wherein said core is completely accommodated in the apertures between the securing arms of the respective fastener elements.
 4. The slide fastener stringer as recited in claim 1, wherein said ridge includes a portion projecting from between the securing arms of the respective fastener elements. 